Our liver plays a significant role in our overall health by screening the blood that passes through our digestive tract. But since the blood comes with the food we consume, the liver is basically on the receiving end of everything that goes through the tract – including carbohydrates, proteins and fats that are then converted into glucose.
This also means that our liver processes alcohol, medications, as well as food additives, toxins and pesticides found in the food we eat. It has the capacity to convert harmful products into less harmful substances, or ensure that these products are excreted from the body.
The problem is, with the amount of work the liver has to do and its repeated exposure to toxins, over time, it can become less efficient in doing its job. And when this happens, it can have a domino effect on other organs and metabolic processes.
Which is why taking care of your liver is important in maintaining your optimum health. Not everyone is aware of the liver’s role and importance though, and not everyone really understands what taking care of the liver means. So here are some things you can do for maintaining liver health:
Avoid excessive alcohol intake
Drinking too much alcohol in a short span of time can take a toll on your liver. The liver can only process about one ounce of alcohol per hour, so drinking beyond this can add stress to your liver. Moreover, since your liver is unable to process the high amounts of alcohol, it can lead to high concentrations of blood alcohol in your body.
To make matters worse, if you engage in binge drinking regularly, then you are at higher risk for alcoholic hepatitis which can lead to liver failure. The scars left by excessive alcohol consumption can also result in liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Avoid unnecessary medications
Go for fresh, organic choices
Detoxify more and detoxify more often
Water, provided it is free from chemicals, is the easiest product that can be processed by the liver. In addition, keeping your body hydrated with plain water will promote liver function.
Foods that are tart and bitter can encourage the release of bile, which helps in the detoxification process of the body. What’s more, lemon can help with your digestion and is a good source of vitamin C, so having lemon alone can be beneficial to your health in so many ways. If you don’t have lemon, lime is a great alternative.
While painkillers can help you effectively get rid of migraine and constant body pains, and generally make you feel better, taking too much of these medications isn’t necessarily helpful for your liver. It can cause additional strain to your liver and expose the liver to more harmful products, increasing the risk for liver diseases.
Furthermore, prescriptive drugs that are taken in higher doses than what has been specified by your physician can have adverse effects on your liver as well as your overall wellbeing.
Go for fresh, organic choices
How enjoyable and fun would it be harvesting pesticide-free fruits and vegetables right from your garden and using it for your own meals? (Just the idea itself makes me want to visit my backyard and pick up some greens!) And not only do they taste crisp and delicious, they are also liver-friendly as your liver won’t have to deal with chemicals that come with fruits and vegetables exposed to chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
Detoxify more and detoxify more often
You’ve probably heard about detoxification about a gazillion times. But that’s not for no good reason. Detoxification can benefit most every part of your system, especially your liver, where toxins can be left behind after it filters substances coming from your digestive tract.
Detoxification can be done in many ways, however, even the simplest methods can help.
· Drink more water
Water, provided it is free from chemicals, is the easiest product that can be processed by the liver. In addition, keeping your body hydrated with plain water will promote liver function.
· Have some lemon or lime water
Foods that are tart and bitter can encourage the release of bile, which helps in the detoxification process of the body. What’s more, lemon can help with your digestion and is a good source of vitamin C, so having lemon alone can be beneficial to your health in so many ways. If you don’t have lemon, lime is a great alternative.
· Dine on broccoli and kale
Broccoli and kale are only two of the many cruciferous vegetables that improve your liver health by assisting in the removal of toxins from your body. Of course, going organic will always be the healthier option.
Milk thistle has been used since the olden times in addressing liver problems. Until today, milk thistle is continuously used for liver protection and detoxification. Its medicinal properties are not limited to liver-related disorders, however. It is also used for type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy.
Exercise regularly
Tantamount to eating a healthy, balanced diet, exercise helps your body function to its full potential. And we’re not just talking about your muscles and bones, but all other organs in your body, including the liver. How does this work? Regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, and having a healthy weight is necessary for a healthy liver.
Fatty liver disease, a condition where having too much fats in your blood, impacts your liver cells, commonly resulting from overweight and obesity. And we all know that weight gain can be avoided and reversed through regular exercise – so now you have one more reason to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
